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Manager's Report - May 31, 2013

Top News

Alexandria Releases 2013 State of the City Address

The City of Alexandria released the 2013 State of the City Address video on Tuesday, which featured Mayor William D. Euille answering questions from children at George Washington Middle School. The video was also shown before the City Council legislative meeting on Tuesday, May 28.

Parking Facility Automation

In an effort to reduce costs and create a more efficient process, the City will be implementing a pilot program to automate three of the City’s eight parking facilities. On Monday, June 3, three of the City’s parking facilities will no longer be staffed, and will become fully automated. This automation includes the installation of payment collection terminals at each parking facility, capable of accepting both cash and credit cards. The lots affected are the Thompson’s Alley garage, the Cameron-St. Asaph surface lot, and the Henry Street surface lot. Limited parking staff will remain on-site at these facilities through July 8, to assist parkers during this transition. Monthly parking account holders will not see any change and will still be required to display a valid hang tag at their specific lot.

Alexandria Commission on Aging Honors Distinguished Alexandrians

On May 14, the Alexandria Commission on Aging held its annual Excellence in Aging Awards ceremony to honor distinguished Alexandrians whose contributions significantly advance programs or issues benefitting older residents. The community-nominated honorees included: John Freeman, owner of Annie B. Rose House, for the Annie B. Rose Lifetime Achievement Award; Dr. Dan Kuland, orthopedic surgeon and member of the Alexandria Commission on Aging, for the Lois Valkenburgh Excellence in Aging Award for an Individual; Ronald Bradley of the Ronald Bradley Foundation for the Excellence in Aging Award for an Organization; and Shane Cochran from the City of Alexandria’s Office of Housing, for the Public Service Award.

The City’s Real Estate Committee recently completed a review of seven offers for the purchase of the Old Health Department building and adjoining properties on Pitt and Oronoco Streets that were solicited for sale through a public RFP process. The highest scoring proposal belonged to Y-12 Investments, a local development company managed by Stewart Bartley. The developer will still need to go through the normal City development review process, and a final sale would ultimately be contingent upon their ability to secure an approved site plan. Sales proceeds will go toward funding the City’s Capital Improvement Program. The proposed project is still in concept phase at this time, but the current plan preserves the Old Health Department within its existing footprint, and divides the building up into nine townhomes, while retaining the majority of its current architectural features. The plan also includes the installation of rooftop terraces on top of the north and south wings of the building, and constructing an additional seven townhomes on the Pitt and Oronoco site. Like any redevelopment, the project will have to be approved by the Planning Commission, go through a public hearing, and ultimately be voted on by City Council.

City Encourages Public Input on NVTA First Year of Proposed Projects to Kick Start Congestion Relief

On Friday, May 24, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) announced the first year of proposed transportation projects to be funded under the transportation bill recently passed by the General Assembly. The bill is estimated to bring Northern Virginia $1.9 billion in new transportation funding over the next six years. The public will have an opportunity to comment on the proposed FY 2014 transportation project list during an open house and public hearing sponsored by NVTA on Thursday, June 20, at 5:30 p.m., in the Council Chambers of the City of Fairfax’s City Hall (10455 Armstrong St., Fairfax, VA). There will also be an opportunity for public comment on the City’s proposed projects during the City of Alexandria Transportation Commission meeting on Wednesday, June 5, at 7 p.m. in City Hall. In addition, the public may email their comments on the projects to fy14projects@thenovaauthority.org.